Board demographic diversity: a review of literature

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the diverse literature on board demographic diversity and to provide avenues for future research. Design/methodology/approach: The study provides a comprehensive literature review of theoretical and empirical studies published in leading management journals from 1989 to 2015. Findings: The literature review revealed several aspects that are related to board demographic diversity. These aspects have been classified into: definitions and types of board diversity, dimensions of board demographic diversity, measurement and outcomes of board diversity, reasons for existing conflicting empirical findings about the relationship between board diversity and firm dynamics, and research on mediators and moderators. Originality/value: Issues pertaining to board demographic diversity identified in this paper have theoretical and practical implications, and include avenues for future research.